About the MCBA Prize

The MCBA Prize is the first honor to recognize and promote excellence in new work from across the expressive spectrum of book art. Established in 2009, this biennial award is meant to represent the diversity of book art and encourage discussion rather than limit recognition to any one aspect of this vital field. Book art, broadly defined, includes work that embodies narrative, instruction, reference, mapping, guides, documentation, and more. It is work that engages the viewer and propels the experience forward through narrative, sequencing, spatial elements, visual or verbal language, temporal, mechanical, aural, typographic, symbolic or material means.

Forms, processes, traditions and approaches are open. Work may include unique book objects, altered books, graphic novels, ‘zines, concrete poetry, conceptual, visual and literary works. Processes may include any printing or printmaking methods such as photo-mechanical, hand-worked, analog/digital, relief printmaking, letterpress, intaglio, and screen-printing, as well as hand-lettering. Works may be in edition or unique. The finished work can depart from a bound book format to engage metaphors of the book in sculpture or installation. Work can be created collaboratively, but ultimately must result from an artist or artists’ vision and active participation.

In each biennial competition, integrity — a unity of form, materials and content that reflects an artist’s vision — will be a determining criteria in the winning works. The primary impetus for the creation of the work must come from the vision of the artist or artistic collaborators. Related works on paper (broadsides, prints, photographic portfolios), journals or diaries, scrapbooks and blank books will not be considered for the award, nor will video or film unless it is integral to an installation that embodies the qualities described above.

Work is judged by a jury of three experts in the field representing a diversity of backgrounds and perspectives. The jury is charged with narrowing the submissions to five finalists; of these finalists, one winner is then selected. Finalists will be honored, and the winner announced, at a gala celebration; The MCBA Prize 2017 Gala and award ceremony will be held on July 22, 2017 as part of Book Art Biennial 2017.

Jurors:Aaron Cohick, founder and proprietor of the NewLights Press, and Printer of The Press at Colorado College;Daniel E. Kelm, book artist, and founder of the Garage Annex School for Book Arts;Jae Jennifer Rossman, Assistant Director for Special Collections at the Robert B. Haas Family Arts Library at Yale University

Jurors:Sarah Bodman, Senior Research Fellow for Artists’ Books at the Centre for Fine Print Research (CFPR), University of the West of England;Sandra Kroupa, Curator of Book Arts and Rare Books at the University of Washington Libraries;Buzz Spector, book, installation and mixed media artist, and Dean of the College and Graduate School of Art in the Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts at Washington University in St. Louis.

Jurors:AnneDorothee “Doro” Boehme, Curator and Special Collections Librarian, Joan Flasch Artists’ Book Collection, School of the Art Institute of ChicagoBarbara Tetenbaum, Associate Professor and Head of the Book Arts Department, Oregon College of Art and CraftPhilip B. Zimmermann, Professor of Visual Communications, College of Fine Arts of the University of Arizona